tanith75

Milagro

So this episode is one of the most beloved of all XF episodes. And, interesting side note, we’ve learned that it’s Sean Penn’s fave. Who knew. CC also thinks it was one of the series best so pay attention, kiddies, cause this one must be good if both Jeff Spiccoli and CC like it. Also, I’ve realized something about this episode: Padgett is a fanfic writer. Let his life be a warning to all XF fic writers out there ... you write a scene where Scully makes out with someone who is not Mulder, you end up dead and holding onto your own bloody heart.

We open in a man’s very sparse apartment. I mean, very sparse. This guy could use a big time visit to IKEA. He is staring at a typewriter and looks like he has stumbled across a bad case of writer’s block. Perhaps he is writing some Mulder/Scully smut and can’t decide who should cry when they orgasm. Mulder, Scully or both. (Here’s a hint, most writers go for both)

The man has notecards on the wall and a serious smoking habit. He’s also pacing and just generally has ants in his pants. Hey, buddy, the smut ain’t gonna write itself. Get to work!!! Hmmm ... this is interesting, he puts a glass to the wall to listen to his neighbor. Considering we find out his neighbor is Mulder, he either hears a baseball game or porn.

So, what does our tortured writer do? Why he goes into his bathroom and rips his heart out of his chest with his bare hands. Geez, buddy, it’s just writer’s block. That was a little drastic, don’t cha think???

Theme song time. And for our song of the episode, I have selected, "Uninvited" by the glorious Alanis Morisette. "Like an uncharted territory I must seem greatly intriguing/You speak of my love like you have experienced love like mine before/But this is not allowed/You’re uninvited an unfortunate slight” It’s kind of like this song was literally written for this episode. And if you haven’t seen the MV for this episode with this song, you must, must, must go angst yourself out and watch it. Uninvited Also, check out this fabulous video for a peak at Mulder’s feelings in this episode (alert: serious Jealous Mulder ahead) Into The Fire

So we come back to the show and lo and behold our heartless writer appears to be a-okay and checking out the furnace in his basement, where, oh dear, his heart is burning. Hello, I’m Symbolism Nice to meet you, shippers. I’ll be making lots and LOTS of appearances in this episode so stay tuned.

But I guess that whole heart thing isn’t bothering the writer because he is now riding the elevator in Mulder’s building with Scully. So, heartless writer guy (now to be known as Neighbor Guy) lives in Mulder’s building. Wow, is there any sort of security in Mulder’s building? Anything? Who does their reference checks? You would think they would have learned their lesson after Mulder’s upstairs neighbor tried to kill him.

So, talk about your uncomfortable elevator rides. Neighbor Guy is seriously staring at Scully. Like, I’m really surprised Scully doesn’t take her gun out and just shoot him right there. She gets off at Mulder’s floor and guess who follows her off? How awesome would it have been if Scully had turned to Neighbor Guy and said, “my boyfried is gonna kick your ass for undressing me with your eyes like that.”

So Neighbor Guy enters the apartment next door to Mulder’s and Mulder opens the door for Scully while he’s brushing his teeth. And you know what I noticed? He doesn’t spit after he’s done. He just swallows his toothpaste and sits down with Scully. Is there anything this man can’t do?? And side note: Mulder and Scully are trying to outdo each other for the title of Sexiest FBI Agent Alive in this episode because both Gillian and David look freaking amazing. Although I’m giving the edge to Mulder right now due to his tight tee shirt. Remind me to send a thank you note to the costume designer for this show.

Our dynamic duo is sitting on Mulder’s couch and Scully inquires about the new neighbor. Mulder tells her he’s a writer and Scully wants to know what he writes. Perhaps she is eager for some good M/S smut as well. Mulder tells her he doesn’t know and is generally his dismissive self. To liven things up a bit, Scully’s brought some papers with her. Oooh is it the smut?? Nope. It’s grisly crime scene photos. Darn.

Cut back to the writer’s apartment where the guy is now standing on a chair so he can listen to Mulder and Scully through the vent. Yeah, that’s not at all creepy.

I don’t know what the guy expects to hear because all they’re talking about is the crime scene photos and the guy could probably find all this stuff out by turning on CNN. I have a feeling a crime where people’s hearts are ripped out is probably going to be a headliner on cable news.

Mulder’s got a theory about these apparently baffling murders. It’s psychic surgery. Oh snap, Miss Cleo did this??? Damn. If Mulder arrests her, who am I going to call for advice? Scully doesn’t buy Mulder’s theory. Big shocker, I know. Scully doesn’t have her own theory, she just wants to go on record as saying she ain’t buyin’ Mulder’s.

Back to the chain-smoking writer who is now busy smoking in bed. Apparently, he missed the after school special where we learned that was really, really bad. What’s this ... looks like our writer has an idea! Oh hip-hip-hooray! Bring on the smutty goodness.

So next we head to a car parked in the woods at night. Just typing this sentence I know something bad is going to happen. Nothing good ever occurs in a car all alone parked in the woods. Oh and did I mention there’s two teenagers involved in hanky panky in the car? Someone’s getting it for sure. Don’t these idiots watch horror movies? I hope they’re not virgins cause that’s a recipe for death if ever there was one. So the chick, we’ll call her, “Chastity”, wants her boyfriend Kevin to slow down. But, Big Kev, being the genius he is, whips out the, “But I love you.” And he may as well have said, “open sesame” cause it melts Chastity’s heart. Too bad their most-likely-about-to-do-it-ness gets interrupted by a menacing looking hooded sweatshirt wearing stranger appearing in the fog.

But Chastity, who it turns out is named Maggie (damn, I prefer Chastity) doesn’t like the way Kevin kisses so she hops out of the car. Okay, she’s just asking to be killed now. So Kevin hops out of the car to go look for her. Instead, he runs into Sweatshirt Guy. Who promptly rips Kevin’s heart out.

Back to the Neighbor Guy’s apartment where he types the words, “beating heart.” Hmmm ... it certainly sounds like M/S smut. “Mulder pressed his naked, sweaty chest against Scully’s so he could feel her beating heart.”

Now we’re headed to the Hoover Building. The phone rings in the basement and Scully answers it. It’s Mulder who’s calling to inform her of Kevin’s death and ask for her to come and help explain what has happened. Again, Mulder and Scully are off the sexy-meter. But Scully has kicked it up a notch by wearing about 4 inch heels and a slinky pencil skirt.

A note is slipped under the office door and Mulder wants to know who it’s from. Perhaps he’s hoping it’s his acceptance letter into the FBI’s Sexiest Agents Club. But it’s some sort of charm with a burning heart on it.

Voice-over alert. The voice begins describing Scully and her reaction to the trinket. Turns out the voice is Neighbor Guy and he’s typing as he does his VO. Talented fella that neighbor. The neighbor declares that Scully is a “marshall of cold facts.” Wow. That’s pretty on the money. The guy also describes Scully’s hair as “titian” Okay, now I KNOW he’s a M/S smut writer.

He describes how Scully would try and figure out who was committing these crimes and how she is perceived at the FBI. He also describes, her. “She was beautiful. Fatally, stunning pre-possessing.” This guy’s good. He declares that Scully yearns to let her heart open. To let someone in. I think the role of Heart Tenant is permanently being played by Fox Mulder, okay pal. So you better watch yourself.

When we come back from commercial, Mulder has joined Scully in the office and he’s checking out the trinket. Scully tells him it’s called a “milagro” which means “miracle” in Spanish. Wait, I thought she spoke German? Whatever, doesn’t matter. What does matter is how the milagro got there and who it’s for. Mulder just assumes it’s for him because ... well he’s Mulder and the world sort of revolves around him. But that’s okay, cause we love him anyway despite being a little self-absorbed. Scully says it was left by a man in his 20's-30's and there’s no other evidence.

Mulder just flat-out states, it’s not from the killer. Scully wants him to take note of the obvious burning heart. But Mulder says their killer doesn’t leave evidence so why would he just drop the little milagro off? Mulder thinks that perhaps a secret admirer left it for Scully. She gives a little annoyed snort and tells him she’s going to check it out. No way José, says Mulder (since we’re speaking Spanish in the episode) she’s got to do an autopsy. Scully’s pissed that Mulder made her schedule for her and she tells him she’s going to be late for the autopsy before she clicks off in her sex-me-up heels.

So where does she go? She heads to a church. Perhaps she needs to pray for absolution for all those dirty Mulder thoughts she’s been having. But at the church she finds a painting of Jesus holding a burning heart. Out of nowhere, Neighbor Guy appears. He tells Scully he often comes to look at the painting. He goes on to tell the story of the painting which includes a couple of burning hearts. I’m having Catholic school flashbacks as he tells it.

Scully wants to know what the hell is going on. And she informs Neighbor Guy that he lives next to “somebody I work with” I think Scully’s choice of words is significant here. She always refers to Mulder as “her partner” Now I suppose it could be that CC just wanted to use his thesaurus and try out some new words. But I doubt it. I think that Scully doesn’t exactly want Neighbor Guy to know what her relationship is with Mulder. What Scully does want to know, is why is Neighbor Guy following her.

He says he’s not. He only “imagined” that she’d go to the church. Scully does a double eyebrow and hopefully Neighbor Guy realizes this means, “I’m not buying what you’re selling.” He says as a writer he has to imagine how people behave. He also has to notice people. And, oh, by the way, he’s noticed Scully. He goes on to reveal the things he’s observed about Scully and the inferences he’s made from those observations. All of which are spot-on. This guy is one hell of a stalker. I bet his mama’s proud.

Neighbor Guy reveals the milagro was from him and he admits to a secret attraction to Scully. Newsflash, pal, it’s not so secret anymore. So a couple of us realized for the first time during the viewing party that Scully starts to tear up at this point. Is she upset? Is she scared? Is she stunned that this guy knows so much about her? It’s probably a little of each but mostly it’s just Gillian being an amazing actress and giving Scully layer upon layer to deal with at this point.

Neighbor Guy tells Scully he’s sorry for making her uncomfortable, but he’s taken with Scully and that never happens to him. Really? A nice stalker like you doesn’t get a lot of dates? Surprising. Then he tells Scully they’re alike in that way. Once again, I think it’s about time this guy met Mulder.

So Scully leaves the serious creep fest and heads to do her autopsy. I bet being around all those dead bodies is less creepy than Neighbor Guy was. Mulder’s there and he wants to know where Scully was. Do you think she should tell him she was with a guy who’s stalking her and infatuated with her in a very scary way? Since I am always game for Jealous Mulder making an appearance, I say hell yeah, Scully, tell him exactly that.

Oooh whaddya know, she does. Nice. She also tells him the charm was for her and it was from Neighbor Guy. I think Neighbor Guy’s about to get a knock at his door and it ain’t gonna be the Avon Lady. Mulder wants to know Neighbor Guy’s name. Scully doesn’t know but she says “that shouldn’t be to hard to find out, should it.” A very subtle way to challenge Mulder into finding out the total 411 on this guy, Scully.

Instead of taking the legal route like, oh I don’t know, punching in a couple keys on his computer, Mulder decides to commit mail theft. Turns out Neighbor Guy’s name is Phillip Padgett.

So Mulder and his illegally obtained evidence ride up the elevator with Padgett. It’s like a stand-off at the OK Corral. They exchange possibly the most hostile small talk ever until the bell rings signifying that the round is over and the fighters need to return to their corners (or in this case their apartments)

Padgett goes back to typing. Man, this guy uses some seriously large words. I bet he kicks ass at Scrabble. His voice-over declares that Scully told Mulder about the meeting in the church and Mulder proceeded to using his little lock-picking kit to steal Padgett’s mail. Now it’s Mulder’s turn to do a little eavesdropping and so he too decides to climb up and stick his ear to the vent. I guess he heard that’s the best way to eavesdrop. Padgett is typing about how Scully aroused Mulder’s suspicions, but Scully herself was just simply aroused. Once again, we’re headed into smutty fanfic territory.

When what do my wondering eyes spy? Why it’s smutty fanfic brought to life before our eyes. Only it’s Padgett and Scully making out, not Mulder and Scully. Boooooo!!!! I hate Mary Sue fics.

So Padgett is imagining that his words to Scully in the church have gotten her so hot and bothered that she is now bearing her sexy little black lace bra to Padgett on his bed. Apparently Padgett doesn’t know Scully as well as he thinks he does cause there’s not way she’s giving up the goods that easily. Even Jerse had to buy her a couple drinks before he got some. Padgett refers to himself as “The Stranger” and he also uses the word “feral” which is another dead giveaway that he’s really just a struggling fanfic writer.

Back in non-make believe land, Mulder is digging into Padgett’s phone bill. Turns out Padgett’s not exactly Mr. Popularity. No calls placed from Padgett’s phone. Wow? Not even to Domino’s? Mulder then does one of my favorite David moments in this episode. He covers his face with his hands and leans back into his couch. Something about this guy is eating at Mulder.

Hi, it’s me, Symbolism, I’m back. Mulder picks up a newspaper to read called the “D.C. Muse”. Cut to Scully getting off of Mulder’s elevator. Okay, I’ll be back in a bit.

So Scully heads to Mulder’s but when she hears Padgett’s typewriter, for some reason she heads to Padgett’s. When Padgett comes to the door, she tells him she wants to return the milagro. Wow, Scully’s really bad liar. Like a moth to the flame, she wants to go in that apartment. Once inside, she observes that Padgett has no furniture. And that, my fellow shippers, is why she’s an FBI agent.

More uncomfortable small talk until Padgett calls Scully “lonely”. She tells him “loneliness is a choice.” Is it? Good. Then choose to be un-lonely and get your ass over to Mulder’s. Instead, Scully agrees to a cup of coffee with her stalker. Well isn’t that special, as the Church Lady would say. How is it possible for Scully to have such bad taste in men? Excluding Mulder, of course.

Back at Mulder’s he’s apparently found a personal ad from Kevin the dead guy to Maggie/Chastity. And Scully’s doing some reading of her own. She’s reading Padgett’s novel which includes the words, “How will it end?” The answer to that question better be, “with Mulder and Scully doing it” or this will be the worst smutty fic ever.

Padgett tells Scully that he’s writing about her. And that he noticed her in her old neighborhood. He then informs Scully he moved to Mulder’s building to be near her. And tell me again why Scully has not pulled her gun on this guy? Padgett says it’s very helpful to him to have Scully there and he wonders if she would sit and talk with him for a bit. Instead of kicking him in the ‘nads, Scully just calmly states, there's nowhere to sit.

Well Padgett has a solution to that problem, they’ll just sit on his bed. If you really want to live on the wild side, Scully, why don’t you and Mulder do it next time you’re on a plane. That always goes over huge in fanfic. But don’t hang out with your stalker on his bed.

I guess Scully doesn’t want my advice because she does just that. And since Padgett’s one lamp has burned out, he replaces the bulb while Scully asks him what her motive is for bring there. He doesn’t know and the brand new lightbulb burns out leaving them, once again, in the dark.

Yeah, it’s me, Symbolism, again.

So there they are, on the bed and in the dark literally and figuratively and Mulder chooses this exact moment to bust on in, gun-drawn. At this point, all Padgett can hope for is that Mulder loses his gun, because if he doesn’t, I’m pretty sure Mulder’s gonna shoot Padgett. But Jealous Mulder chooses to be a good lawman and simply arrest Padgett instead of putting a cap in his ass.

After riffling through Padgett’s work, Mulder shows Scully the section of Padgett’s novel where he describes the murders he’s investigating. Oops. Should’ve stuck to the smut, Padgett.

So Mulder is questioning Padgett in his cell. Turns out all the victims took out personal ads. See what a bad idea those things are?!? Scully waltzes in and tells Mulder not to question Padgett without his lawyer. Sheesh, look who’s joined the ACLU. I guess she’d be pissed about the whole mail fraud thing, too. Padgett doesn’t want a lawyer. Mulder thinks Padgett’s novel is his confession. Padgett says it’s just a novel. Potato, potahto.

Mulder wants to know how he does it. The writing, Padgett asks? No, the murders, Mulder says. But he doesn’t do the murders, Padgett argues. Okay, we’re getting nowhere fast. Somebody call Briscoe and Green cause they always get people to confess in like 2 minutes flat. Mulder also wants to know about Padgett’s accomplice, the psychic surgeon, Ken somebody or other. Oh and he’s Brazilian. How does Mulder know that? Did he see his bikini wax? Mulder wants to know who calls the shots. Padgett or Ken? Padgett babbles on about psychology crap and now I’m worried he’s about to reveal he’s been stalking Mulder as well. But the point is, Padgett states it’s difficult to say who’s in charge.

It’s at this point Mulder steps in to presumably smack Padgett when Scully places a gentle arm on Mulder to stop him.

Hi, Symbolism again. I’d like to introduce my friend Innuendo.

Hi there, you’re a lovely crowd. I’ve got two issues to discuss. So, Mulder is seemingly in charge of the interrogation until Padgett declares it’s difficult to tell who’s in charge and that’s when Scully places her hand on Mulder’s sexy forearm thereby revealing that it is, indeed, she who’s in charge of the interrogation and for that matter pretty much every aspect of Mulder’s life. There’s also the whole sexual innuendo going on. Which is, frankly, the best kind of innuendo. As Padgett gets a glimpse of this subtle gesture and realizes it speaks louder than the loudest orgasm scene in smutty fanfic. Okay, see you guys in a few scenes.

Mulder wants to know why. Padgett can’t answer that. But he would like Mulder’s opinion on his book. Mulder gives it two thumbs down. I guess he doesn’t like books where people get killed and his partner gets busy with a stranger.

Mulder wants to find Ken the Brazilian. Scully did. He’s dead. Mulder wants to know how Padgett committed these crimes alone. Scully thinks maybe Padgett didn’t do it. Maybe he actually did imagine it. Mulder reveals to Scully that there is a little chapter in the book where Scully does the “naked pretzel” with The Stranger. That is Mulder’s least favorite chapter apparently.

So I guess Scully likes to read Scully/Mary Sue fanfic cause she reads Padgett’s novel. Once again, we get to see the words, “How will it end?” We don’t know, dammit. Stop asking us!

A prison guard interrupts Scully’s reading to show her Padgett has written something. This is about Maggie.

Cut to the cemetery where the camera breezes by headstones.

Hey, Innuendo here. Did you notice one of the headstones is for Salinger. As in J.D. Salinger. You know, the famous novelist who wrote Catcher in the Rye. Just thought I’d point it out. Carry on.

So Maggie is sobbing at Kevin’s grave. All alone. At night. In a cemetery. Clearly Maggie has a death wish. Well ... wish granted cause Sweatshirt Guy/Ken shows up. Bye bye Maggie’s heart.

It’s daylight in the cemetery now as they look for evidence of what may have happened to Maggie. Mulder, realizing he may have some competition for Scully’s heart, apparently wants to point out that he is a stud muffin cause he comes strutting in wearing some shades and a serious attitude. Then he pulls out all the stops and breaks into a Mulder Run; gun drawn and the whole nine yards. I don’t know if Scully’s aroused but I know David’s fangirls are.

Mulder decides to further demonstrate his prowess to Scully by tackling the groundskeeper of the cemetery and almost blowing his brains out. Scully doesn’t even so much as bat an eye. Cut the guy a break, Scully. He’s working overtime to prove his hottitude. Mulder decides to play a hunch and check the groundskeeper’s truck which is where he finds poor Maggie’s body.

Interesting thing I learned from the DVD commentary, when David runs in scenes they put the director on a motorcycle with the camera because when David runs, he’s so fast it’s the only way they can keep up with him.

So it’s back to the jail where they have to let Padgett go. Scully wants to know how Mulder knew where to find the body. Agent Smart Ass says he “imagined it”. Good one, Mulder. Scully starts prattling on about how it still doesn’t prove Padgett did it. He could have, indeed, imagined it. Wow, Gillian must have gotten David’s script cause she’s not supposed to be the believer. Mulder apparently agrees because he does a little dance to spin Scully around into his usual believer spot. We shippers like this little maneuver. It’s not “doing it” on a bed, but it is physical contact so we’ll take it.

Mulder tells Scully he doesn’t know how Padgett’s doing it, but he knows he’s the killer. So to catch Padgett, Mulder has to let him go so he can spy on him. I have a sneaking suspicion Mulder wants to try out his new Spy Ring he got from the back of his Fruit Loops box.

So they let Padgett go. But before he heads off into the sunset a free man, Padgett wants to apologize to Scully. Is it for writing bad fanfic smut about her? Nope. He says in his book he had written that Scully falls in love. Which, Padgett now realizes is impossible. Because Agent Scully is already in love.



Scully stares after Padgett like, how in the hell does he know this crap and Mulder just stares at Scully with this glazed over look like he wants to ask who it is.

Hi, Innuendo here. I don’t even need to point this part out to you guys, right?

So we go back to Padgett’s and he sits down at his typewriter. But he’s interrupted by Ken showing up. Padgett’s as surprised as we are to see the guy. But apparently, on top of his skills as a psychic surgeon, Ken is also a great beta reader cause he wants to help Padgett finish his fic. So it turns out that Padgett had Ken kill all those people so he could meet Scully. Wow. Looks like Scully’s about to get a Mulder-sized helping of guilt once she realizes that she is the reason all those people were killed.

In Mulder’s apartment, he and Scully are watching Padgett through a surveillance camera. How awkward would it be for Padgett and Mulder to still live in the same building after all of this? I hope they don’t run into each other while they’re doing their laundry. Talk about uncomfortable.

The hidden camera reveals that Padgett is alone, yet we see Ken with Padgett so now we’re all confused as ****. But since we’re Philes, confusion isn’t new to us so we just go with it.

Innuendo and Symbolism here. We have a guest appearance by our buddy Irony. Hey guys, I just wanted to point out the irony of Scully and Padgett’s earlier conversation about being lonely. Padgett said the two of them were both lonely. Scully points out that loneliness is a choice. So look what we have here. Scully, is not alone, but is choosing to be with Mulder. Padgett, who thinks Ken is with him, is actually the one who is all by himself.

Padgett and Ken are conversing about Scully. Padgett has made a big boo-boo. He’s written an OOC fic. We hate those, Padgett. That’s the worst thing an XF fic writer can do. What’s next? Are you going to write a scene where Mulder sobs out a confession of love to Scully because his feelings for her are so intense he can’t man-up and pull himself together for 5 minutes? Padgett says he didn’t realize that Scully was just trying, albeit unconsciously, to get Mulder’s attention. So now we have Scully’s motivation for hanging out with Philly boy. And it’s a motivation we shippers are quite pleased with.

But Ken still wants to know why Padgett wanted him to remove the lovers hearts. Ken helps Padgett figure this **** out step-by-step. This guy really is one hell of a beta reader. I wonder if he has a LJ account so we could contact him and see if he’s available? Ken tells Padgett he is a “tool of the truth”.

“But what is the truth?”

Since that is the million dollar question here in XF land, we’re going to bring in Innuendo to help Padgett figure that out.

Of course there’s The Truth. But this isn’t a mythology episode so we’re not really going after The Truth here. But in this episode, there’s a truth that Padgett has stumbled upon that we’ve all known for years. Namely, that Scully is in love with Mulder. So, if Padgett is “tool of the truth” then he is ... Symbolism, wanna help us out?

Padgett is the one who reveals to us that Scully loves Mulder. That’s “the truth”.

Thanks for the help, you two.

No problem.

Happy to be of service.

Ken points out that although Padgett wanted to open up his heart and love Scully, he has to instead destroy love. (i.e.) Kill it.

So what’s the ending to Padgett’s story?

Scully has to die.

I’m giving Symbolism and Innuendo the rest of the recap off cause I have a feeling you guys are bright enough to get this stuff from here on out.

Back in Mulder’s apartment, Scully has dozed off on the couch. Although I’m not sure how she can do anything except for stare at Mulder in his super tight tee. I’m having trouble typing cause I can’t take my eyes off him. Mulder wants to know what Padgett is up to. Hey, big guy, how ‘bout you forget about Padgett and go after the little red-head on your couch?

Padgett appears to finish his book so he gets up and wanders out of the range of the hidden camera. The next thing we hear is Padgett’s door closing. Mulder takes this as an invite to do another Mulder Run. But Scully gets left behind cause she took her boots off. Wishful thinking on her part, perhaps?

Padgett is down in the basement at the incinerator again. Is he gonna grab his heart? Nope. It looks like he gonna burn his book. But Mulder is there, gun drawn and telling Padgett to freeze.

Scully finally gets those damn boots on and she heads after Mulder but when she opens the door, Ken just invites himself on in and starts to strangle Scully.

Not exactly the best way to make friends in a new building.

Mulder wants to know what Padgett is doing. Padgett says he’s destroying his book. But since Mulder apparently hates not knowing how WIPs end, Padgett spills the ending. Ken kills Scully. So Padgett is destroying his book to save Scully’s life.

Sure enough Ken has Scully pinned to the floor and he begins tearing her heart out of her chest. Scully manages to pull her gun and shoot Ken, but it does no good. Mulder hears the gunfire and takes off for Apt. #42. When he arrives, gun drawn and frantic he finds Scully on the floor; bloody and looking pretty dead. Mulder’s face is heartbreaking. But don’t worry, Padgett didn’t write “Romeo and Juliet”, so Scully’s not dead. She’s just out one ivory blouse.

Her eyes pop open and she looks terrified until she realizes that Mulder is there. Then she simply starts to sob. A gut-wrenching, aching sob. And she clutches on to Mulder who holds Scully for all he’s worth.

Now THAT is one hell of an ending.

And what’s become of our creepy but tragic fanfic writer?

He tells us that even though he knew how his story had to end, he knew his words could never be read. He realized that he was a destroyer not a creator. So he destroyed his own story and in doing so, he gave what he could not receive.

And what, exactly, was that?

Love.

In the DVD commentary, Kim Manners states that in the end, Padgett makes the ultimate sacrifice by killing himself to prove that he does have love in his heart.

And so Padgett lies on the floor, himself destroyed. His heart beating in his lifeless hand. And Scully lies in Mulder’s arms.